Conventional record pads having a plurality of sheet sets with a top paper sheet having top and bottom faces, and at least one underlying record bottom sheet, with a transfer mechanism (such as carbonless coatings or carbon paper) for transferring indicia imaged on the top sheet to an underlying record sheet, are illustrated in European patent 325,057. In such a record pad, a ring binder element is provided at the left hand margin of the record pad attached to cooperating securing edge margins of each sheet set of the plurality of sheet sets, and a strip of repositional adhesive is provided on the bottom face of the top sheet at the securing edge margin, extending on both sides of a perforation line substantially parallel to the side margin and allowing ready separation of the top sheet from the record pad.
According to the present invention an improved record pad is provided which eliminates the adhesive on the securing edge margins (that is the securing edge margins are substantially free of adhesive) with the securing edge margins being spaced from the pattern of repositional adhesive provided on the top sheet. This provides a construction in which it is easier to remove the copy sheet from the record pad, leaving its securing edge margin (if provided) secured to the record pad, while additionally utilizing less adhesive. Desirably, both the copy sheet and the record sheet have corresponding securing edge margins which are substantially free of adhesive, thus making it possible to secure the multiple sheets to each other with a mechanical securing mechanism (such as a ring, staples, or the like), or adhesive, without the risk of sheet sets sliding out of position.
According to one aspect of the present invention a record pad is provided comprising the following components: A plurality of sheet sets, each sheet set comprising a paper top sheet having a top face and a bottom face, at least one underlying record bottom sheet, and a transfer mechanism for transferring indicia imaged on the top sheet to an underlying record sheet. The top sheet comprises an upper margin, a lower margin substantially parallel to the upper margin, and first and second side margins substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower margins, the upper margin being at the upper portion of the top sheet during normal use of the top sheet to enter indicia on the top sheet. A securing edge margin of each of the top and record sheets of each sheet set of the plurality of sheet sets is at the first side margin for connecting the sheet sets in a record pad. And a pattern of repositional adhesive is provided on each the top sheet bottom face adjacent to and substantially parallel to the securing edge margins, the securing edge margins being substantially free of adhesive and spaced from the pattern of repositional adhesive.
Preferably a line of weakness (such as a perforation line) is provided in each top sheet extending substantially parallel to the securing edge margin, and the pattern of repositional adhesive is on the opposite side of the line of weakness from the securing edge margin. Typically the pattern of repositional adhesive is a substantially continuous linear strip of adhesive, although discontinuous strips, or other patterns of dots or the like may also or alternative be provided. Preferably the strip of adhesive is spaced from an associated line of weakness a distance of about 1-5 mm, preferably 2 mm.
Typically the top sheet upper and lower margins are shorter than the top sheet side margins. In the preferred embodiment at least one additional line of weakness (such as a perforation line) is provided dividing the top sheet into a number of portions, each portion readily separable along the line of weakness from the rest of the top sheet. Each separable portion preferably has a dimension parallel to the upper margin which is longer than the dimension parallel to the side margin.
A mechanical attachment (such as staples, a conventional ring binder, or the like) is provided adjacent the securing edge margin connecting all of the sheet sets together, and a foldable flap acting as a writing shield is also provided. The transfer mechanism may be any suitable conventional transfer mechanism such as CF/CB cooperating coatings, a self-contained, self-imaging carbonless coating on or more record sheets, carbon paper, or the like.
The repositional adhesive may be any suitable conventional repositional adhesive. For example, it may be a repositional adhesive sold by Moore Business Forms of Lake Forest, Illinois under the trademark "CLEANTAC".RTM., or it may be the repositional adhesive provided on the 3M "POST-IT".RTM. products or such as shown in Swiss patent 452,479.
According to another aspect of the present invention a record pad is provided comprising: A plurality of sheet sets, each sheet set comprising a paper top sheet having a top face and a bottom face, at least one underlying record bottom sheet. The top sheet comprising an upper margin, a lower margin substantially parallel to the upper margin, and first and second side margins substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower margins, the upper margin being at the upper portion of the top sheet during normal use of the top sheet to enter indicia on the top sheet. A securing edge margin of each of the top and record sheets of each sheet set of the plurality of sheet sets for connecting the sheet sets in a record pad at the first side margin. A pattern of repositional adhesive provided on each the top sheet bottom face adjacent to and substantially parallel to the securing edge margins, the securing edge margins being substantially free of adhesive and spaced from the pattern of repositioned adhesive. And a line of weakness in each the top sheet extending substantially parallel to the securing edge margin, the pattern of repositional adhesive on the opposite side of the line of weakness from the securing edge margin. Details of the record pad portions are preferably as described above.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an advantageous record pad with top sheets, the top sheet portions having repositional adhesive associated therewith. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.